


be you. no one else can

by spacecleavage



Category: Sanditon (TV 2019), Sanditon - Jane Austen
Genre: Canon, F/M, Romance, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-07
Updated: 2019-10-07
Packaged: 2020-11-26 17:53:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20934293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spacecleavage/pseuds/spacecleavage
Summary: "The words danced circles and circles around her head. "Be you. No one else can,"The phrase itself was so beautiful in its sentiment, that she had to swallow down the rush of emotions that accompanied it. Or maybe that was because of the memory that came with the words."slight au, a party after the boat race





	be you. no one else can

**Author's Note:**

> this girl is back, work was hectic af and this was half written during my short breaks. i have been getting all your lovely prompts, but sadly i am a slow writer and i must work to pay the bills.

The words danced circles and circles around her head. "Be you. No one else can,"

The phrase itself was so beautiful in its sentiment, that she had to swallow down the rush of emotions that accompanied it. Or maybe that was because of the memory that came with the words. She had escaped down the shore, away from the regatta revellers as they celebrated all too loudly for her tastes. The regatta had been a brilliant success, with the Stringer team clinching a close victory. But the carefully veiled comments from Mrs Campion had nearly spoiled her mood, thankfully Mary had dragged her to the finish line before she'd had to make actual conversation with the unpleasant woman. The noise from the party echoed off the water in front of her, sounding strange to her poor ears. But as she'd looked out over the river, the lights from the party reflected from it, her mood had picked up. It was something she could write home about, that was for sure.

She did miss her home, it was like an ache in her chest, especially as she'd watched Mary and Tom embracing the children earlier.

She had been tempted to give up on the party, make her excuses and go home to the warm house and have a strong cup of tea. 

But then she would miss the dancing that was sure to begin very soon, and she had promised Arthur that she would save a dance for him.

Still, she waited by the shore, hoping that her distance would mean that she wouldn't have to interact with anyone.

Anyone? Or just Eliza Campion who makes you feel singularly inferior and immature in only a few sentences? 

It was that dark little part of her spoke it, but she knew it to be true.

"Some days, I wish I were someone else entirely." She whispered up to the moon, even though it wouldn't answer back, it felt better to speak aloud her silly little wish.

"Please don't." Sidney's deep, gravelly voice came from behind her, causing her to all but jump out of her skin. She spun on her heel to stare at him. "You are entirely too singular to be anyone else."

His dark shape was silhouetted from the lights of the party, though with his preference for darker clothes it was hard to differentiate between the shadows and him.

She wondered how he could have snuck up on her so effectively, one moment she was completely alone and the next he was beside her.

And now that she knew he was there, he was impossible to ignore, his dark shape looming over her. She could not breathe as she waited for him to say something, anything. Why was he just standing there? And how long had he been there?

“Mister Parker,” She tried not to stare at his face, but the darkness made it near impossible to see his expression. She could help but wander that even if she could see his expression, if she would be able to understand it. She had thought herself coming to understand them, but then Mrs Campion and arrived and left her in a tailspin.

“Miss Heywood,” his head ducked down with his greeting, and for the briefest moment she was able to see his genuine smile reflected in the light of the moon across the water, “what are you doing so far away from the party?” Such a pale light softened his features, and Charlotte was again struck by how handsome a man that he was.

“I...” she began to speak but caught herself before the rest of the sentence slipped out. I didn’t want to see you flirting with Mrs Campion, she bit her tongue to stop the rest of it from coming out.

“Are you feeling well?” he stepped forward, and with him closer she could see the concern marring his face.

She could not help the rush of breath as he stepped closer than common curtsey would have allowed. She was frozen in place as his hand moved closer to her face, nearly brushing her cheekbone with his fingertips. Just the change of pressure over her cheekbone, sent a shiver down her spine, her gut clenching and mouth suddenly dry.

“No, actually, I think I spent too long in the sun. Please make my apologies to your brothers, I think I shall head back to Trafalgar house.” She spoke quickly, the excuse sounding weak to her own ears but the need to be away from him and the overwhelming emotions he always invoked.

She tried to move around him, the need to do something so encompassing that if she didn’t move now, she feared she may do something she regretted.

“Wait, I shall accompany you back.” His hand caught her wrist, his finger caressing her as if she was made from glass and then they were gone and only the tingling on her skin as proof of his touch.

“Please, I do not wish to tear you away from the party.” She softly begged, her eyes firmly fixed on the path towards Sanditon; she could not look at him for fear he would see through her fallacy.

“It would be remiss of me to leave you unescorted, therefore I must insist.”

She opened her mouth, hoping a reply, or another excuse would be forthcoming. In the fraction of a second it took her to recall Lady Susan’s request for another conversation, Sidney had already began moving to escort her towards Sanditon.

“I apologise but I promised Lady Susan I would walk with her.”

“Well then, before you leave, I would make a request of you myself?” He was so close to her again, and again she was consumed by his proximity; the way there didn’t seem to be enough air in her lungs, her heart pounding so loudly it almost drowned out all the noise.

“After last time?” her voice was barely above a whisper and she couldn’t help the tremble that it held.

“Indeed,” he smiled grimly to himself, “be you, no one else can.”

With his declaration, her heart stopped its frantic pace in her chest and the air in her lungs disappeared. She was left speechless by such a simple phrase, yet it rocked her to her very core.

His hand materialised near her face, again glancing over her cheekbone again, before threading itself around one of her wayward curls. He lent ever closer as he pushed it behind her ear. She stared up at him, and he stared, with his rich dark eyes down at her, not though into her eyes, but rather at her lips.

She couldn’t help but do the same, and when she looked at them, she could not help but be intrigued with how luscious they looked, and full too. His tongue darted out to wet them and she felt herself copy the action. He swayed even closer, there was but a few inches between them when she heard the voice pierce the fog of her mind.

“Miss Charlotte,” Arthur’s voice was clear and not far away. “You haven’t forgotten our dance, have you?”

She rolled over in her bed again, the memory still playing over and over again.

**Author's Note:**

> come find me on [tumblr](www.spacecleavage.tumblr.com)
> 
> let me know what you think


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